Category: Benefits and Compensation

This topic provides guidance on how to handle compensation issues in a way that attracts and retains the best talent and advances the strategic goals of your business. You get news and tips on what’s going on nationally and in the states, and updates on changes in regulations, possible governmental action, and emerging compensation trends.

Implant Charges Seen as Ripe for Health Plan Cost Control

Implants — spinal fusion; as well as hip, knee and shoulder replacements — have emerged as major price problems today. Costs are up and so is utilization, which explains the cost surge health plans are undergoing for these procedures, according to three attorneys from The Phia Group in Braintree, Mass., who spoke in a Jan. […]

How Can You Fix Engagement?

In yesterday’s Advisor, Nicole Price suggested that engagement must be paired with personal accountability; today, some of her tips for effectively driving engagement forward.

GAO Recommends New Destinations for Forced 401(k) Transfers

Distributing abandoned small accounts in the 401(k) plans of participants who have left the company is a necessary evil for plan sponsors, to keep the plan focused on managing larger, active holdings and controlling costs. Despite the benefits for the plan that this form of housekeeping provides, results from these “forced transfers” may be less […]

Pros and Cons of Monetary Incentives

Most employers are looking for ways to maximize employee productivity and efficiency. But how can employees be motivated to work toward this goal? Some say it can’t be done, that motivation is intrinsic and therefore, nearly impossible to influence through external means. Others say that there are plenty of ways to improve employee motivation and […]

Use Value & Outcomes to Assess Plan Fees, TIAA-CREF Says

Retirement plan sponsors now have more information than ever before about the fees they are paying for plan services. This helps meet fiduciary obligations to monitor and assess the “reasonableness” of plan fees, but it also can lead to uncertainty about how best to meet these obligations. The large amounts of information provided by the […]

Train Employees to Follow These Flu Prevention Best Practices

  With serious outbreaks in several states, this year’s flu season is shaping up to be one to remember. Especially concerning is the fact that the vaccine may not be a good match for the virus. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is encouraging employers and employees to maintain a healthy, flu-free workplace this […]